Quick answer: To pack a trekking backpack, put camp clothes at the bottom, heavy items in the middle against your back, and the jacket, rain shell and microspikes on top, with water and snacks in the pockets. Trekkaro's Uttarakhand winter treks ask for a 50-60 L backpack (40-60 L on Nag Tibba), with Free Trekking Gear and SpO2 checks twice a day.
What size backpack do you need for a trek?
Start with the right bags. On Trekkaro's winter treks in Uttarakhand you carry two: a main backpack for the trek, and a smaller day pack for the walking day if you offload the main one. Everything else stays behind in a closed bag.
| Trek | Main backpack | Day pack | Extra luggage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kedarkantha | 50-60 L | 20-30 L for water, snacks and a spare layer | Free store in Sankri |
| Brahmatal | 50-60 L | 20-30 L for water, snacks and personal items | Free store in Lohajung |
| Dayara Bugyal | 50-60 L with rain cover | 20-30 L for water, snacks and a layer | Free store in Raithal |
| Kuari Pass | 50-60 L with rain cover | 20-30 L, needed if you offload | Free store in Pipalkoti |
| Chopta Chandrashila | 50-60 L with rain cover | 20-30 L for water, snacks and a layer | No store: the trek starts at Sari and ends at Baniyakund, so leave extra bags with your Rishikesh hotel |
| Nag Tibba | 40-60 L | Water, snacks and a warm layer, even if you offload | Free store in Pantwari |
The stores are free, but valuables such as jewellery, laptops, cash, wallets and documents stay with you. A rain cover for the main backpack is on the kit list for Dayara Bugyal, Kuari Pass and Chopta Chandrashila, and it is worth having on any trek.
What do you not need to pack?
Packing well starts with leaving things out. On Trekkaro's winter treks in Uttarakhand, several of the bulkiest items are given to you on the trek, so they never go in your bag.
- Sleeping bags, rated to -20°C, wait for you at camp, and tents are shared by three.
- The Free Trekking Gear kit is handed over before the trek: Decathlon trekking shoes, a jacket rated to -10°C, trekking poles, gaiters and microspikes. There is no rental fee, only a ₹3,000 refundable deposit and a ₹200 washing charge, and buying the five items costs about ₹13,395.
- Meals are cooked at camp and are pure vegetarian, so you carry snacks, not food for the trek.
Our winter trek packing list has the full list of what to bring; this guide is about where each item goes. Check the forecast for the trek's district on the India Meteorological Department's Dehradun centre.
How do you load a trekking backpack, layer by layer?
Think of the backpack in four zones. The aim is to keep the weight close to your spine and centred between your shoulder blades, and to keep the things you need during the day where you can reach them without unpacking.
- The bottom zone holds camp and night clothes: the thermals you sleep in, spare socks, a woollen cap for the night and camp clothes. You only need them at camp, and they form a soft base. Pack them in a dry bag or a strong plastic bag so they stay dry whatever happens to the rest of the pack.
- The middle zone, against your back, takes the heaviest items: spare fleece layers, the toiletry kit and anything dense. Keep heavy items close to the back panel; weight that sits far from your back pulls you backwards on every climb.
- The top zone is for what you may need on the trail: the -10°C jacket, a waterproof shell, and the microspikes and gaiters in a small bag. On the snow sections of a winter trek you put these on in the middle of the day, so they must come out first.
- The lid and side pockets carry small, quick items: water bottles, snacks, sunscreen, lip balm, sunglasses, a headlamp and a small first-aid pouch. Keep your phone in an inside pocket close to your body, because batteries drain fast in the cold.
Fill gaps as you go: socks and gloves pushed into empty corners stop the load from shifting on a narrow, snowy trail.
How do you adjust the straps once it is packed?
Adjust the straps in this order, with the pack loaded.
- Loosen all the straps, put the pack on and fasten the hip belt so it sits on your hip bones. Tighten it firmly: the hips should carry most of the weight.
- Pull the shoulder straps snug, so they follow your shoulders without taking the full load.
- If your pack has load lifters, the small straps at the top of the shoulder straps, pull them gently so the top of the pack comes towards you.
- Clip the chest strap and tighten it just enough to keep the shoulder straps in place.
Tighten everything again before a descent, when a swinging pack throws you off balance. While you are using your trekking poles, hold them in your hands rather than strapping them to the pack; our guide on how to use trekking poles covers when to shorten or lengthen them.
What goes in the day pack on a trek day?
If you offload your main backpack to a porter or mule, you walk with only the day pack, and you will not see your main bag until camp. So the day pack must hold everything you need between leaving one camp and reaching the next.
| Item | Why it is in the day pack |
|---|---|
| Water bottles, one of them insulated | You drink through the day, and an insulated bottle keeps water from freezing in the cold |
| Snacks and, on some days, a packed lunch | On Kuari Pass Day 2, for example, lunch is a packed lunch on the trail |
| A spare warm layer | For rest stops and the summit, where you cool down fast |
| Waterproof shell | For snowfall or rain on the trail |
| Cap, gloves, sunglasses and sunscreen | Sun on snow is bright, and the wind at a summit is cold |
| Microspikes and gaiters | You put them on where the trail turns to snow or ice |
| Phone, cash and personal documents | Valuables stay with you, not in an offloaded bag |
How does backpack offloading work?
Offloading means a porter or mule carries your main backpack between camps, and you walk with the day pack. On Trekkaro's winter treks it is an optional add-on, and its price is shown when you book. On Kedarkantha, Brahmatal, Dayara Bugyal, Kuari Pass and Chopta Chandrashila the offloaded backpack can weigh up to 9 kg, and suitcases, trolleys and duffel bags are not accepted; on Nag Tibba the limit is also 9 kg. On Kedarkantha, Brahmatal and Chopta Chandrashila you ask for it at least 15 days in advance, and last-minute requests at the base village may cost more.
The 9 kg limit is a good target even if you carry your own pack. Weigh the packed bag at home, take out anything you have not used on a previous trek, and weigh it again. On the Chadar trek, offloading is a porter for your personal luggage, and if you offload there you carry a 20-30 L day pack for water, warm layers and snacks.
What should you check before you book a trek?
How much you carry depends on what the trek company gives you. Compare these points before you pay; the last column shows Trekkaro's answers on its winter treks.
| What to check | Why it matters | With Trekkaro |
|---|---|---|
| Are shoes, a jacket, poles, gaiters and microspikes provided? | Without them you pack and carry a full snow kit from home, or rent one before the trek. | Yes, Free Trekking Gear on the Uttarakhand winter treks, with a ₹3,000 refundable deposit and a ₹200 washing charge. |
| Are sleeping bags and tents provided? | Without them a winter sleeping bag takes a large share of a 60 L backpack. | -20°C sleeping bags and tents shared by three, men and women in separate tents. |
| Is there a store for extra bags at the start? | Without one you carry your travel clothes up the mountain. | Free stores in Sankri, Lohajung, Raithal, Pipalkoti and Pantwari; valuables stay with you. |
| How is your health checked on the trail? | Without checks, tiredness from a heavy pack and early altitude sickness look the same. | SpO2 and pulse twice a day at every campsite. |
| What emergency kit goes with the group? | Without oxygen and a stretcher, a sick trekker waits for help from the road. | One oxygen cylinder, one stretcher and a first-aid kit with every batch. |
| How many trekkers per leader or guide? | With too few leaders, a trekker struggling with a heavy load is noticed late. | Up to 20 trekkers per batch, one trek leader or guide for every 8. |
| What does the fee cover? | Without a written list, extras appear later. | On Dayara Bugyal, for example, the fee is ₹7,800 per person plus 5% GST (₹8,190 with GST), with stays, tents, meals, permits and the gear kit. |
| What are the cancellation terms? | Without them a change of plan can cost the whole fee. | 70% back at 30 or more days, 50% at 15 to 29 days, no cash refund from 14 days; or a 100% TrekCash voucher, a free reschedule or a transfer up to 8 days before. |
| Is EMI available? | Without it the full fee is due at booking. | EMI starts at ₹402 a month. |
See Dayara Bugyal Trek dates and book | Winter trek packing list | Kedarkantha trek packing list
Frequently asked questions
What goes at the bottom of a trekking backpack?
Camp and night clothes, such as sleeping thermals and spare socks, packed in a dry bag. You do not need them until camp, and they make a soft base for the heavier items above.
Where should heavy items go in a backpack?
In the middle of the pack, close to your back. Weight held close to the spine keeps you balanced on climbs and descents.
Do I need to pack a sleeping bag for a Trekkaro winter trek?
No. On the Uttarakhand winter treks Trekkaro gives sleeping bags rated to -20°C at camp, so your backpack only holds clothes and personal items.
How heavy can an offloaded backpack be?
Up to 9 kg on Trekkaro's Kedarkantha, Brahmatal, Dayara Bugyal, Kuari Pass and Chopta Chandrashila treks. Suitcases, trolleys and duffel bags are not accepted there, so pack into a proper backpack.
What should I look for when choosing a company for a winter trek?
Check whether snow gear, sleeping bags and tents are provided and whether there is a free luggage store. Then compare SpO2 checks, the emergency kit, the 1:8 ratio, what the fee covers, cancellation terms and EMI.
